Ruffwear Front Range Harness & Lead

Today we will be reviewing not one, but two dog-owning essentials; the Ruffwear Front Range Harness and the Ruffwear Front Range Dog Lead. Having spent the last three or four days trialling both products on my little Romanian rescue ‘Bingo’, I feel we are now well adjusted to review these products in all their glory!

Firstly, the all-day adventure harness…

Especially designed by Ruffwear to accommodate everyday use, the new Front Range version is suitable for activities from trail running to just your gentle day to day walk. Available in six different colours – purple was very fetching next to Bingo’s brown fur – you’ll be sure to find a style to suit both you and your pet.

It has several key features, including:

Four points of adjustment, ensuring that once you have chosen the correct size of harness you can get a perfect, secure and comfortable fit for your dog, especially if like mine, he or she is a little unusually shaped in certain areas! The straps themselves are also very easily adjustable if say you need to swap one dog with another on the same harness. It’s also important to note how very simple and easy it is to put the harness on and take off, especially after those long wet, windy dog walks where all you want to do is be warm and dry indoors!   

It also has two lead attachment points – an aluminium V-ring on the back and reinforced webbing on the front – which allows you to facilitate your dog’s preference. If you have a big dog for example who likes to jump when they become excited, then it’s probably best to use the top V-ring to keep their front legs on the ground. If you own a dog that pulls slightly then I would advise using the bottom of the harness.

Padding on the front and belly of the harness ensures an even load distribution on your dog as well comfortable wear. This is important to note as a well-fitting and comfortable harness will aid your dog in preventing any musoskeletal injuries that might be caused by ill-fitting equipment or unusual running/walking styles because of it. We also found the padding across the shoulder area to be a neat little addition, as it adds that extra bit of comfortability without obstructing your dog; it’s also very rarely seen with other brands models.

Safety is the name of the game too with the harnesses reflective trim ensuring one’s pet is visible in low light conditions or places where they may be heavy traffic. Lastly, it also has built into it an ID pocket in which to store dog tags.

Size Information:

To measure for your dog’s new harness, simply use a tape measure around the widest part of your dog’s ribcage, and use this measurement to find out what size is suitable. If your dog is in-between sizes, Ruffwear recommend you go for the larger size.

Care Instructions:

To wash your harness, simply secure the fasteners and hand wash with a mild detergent. Ruffwear recommend you air dry your dog's harness after washing for best results.

Price: £44.95

Secondly, we have the Front Range lead which, like the harness, was also reviewed in its lilac manifestation!

Unlike the harness which can be used for pretty much any activity, in any conditions, the lead by contrast does feel a little lightweight and was probably designed only with everyday dog walks in mind, but it’s still very strong. Practicality is the name of the game with this doggy essential!

It has several key features including:

A padded handle or soft grip for comfort; despite the coarseness of the lead itself it doesn’t dig into your hand when your dog pulls, rather it is sufficiently comfortable and the padding doesn’t stand out against the colour of the lead. It also features a traffic handle at the bottom of the lead which allows you to keep your pet close and secure when walking alongside or near busy roads. The lead is manufactured using Ruffwear’s specifically designed webbing which creates this sturdy yet light effect.

Ruffwear have also improved upon their previous model by including a low-profile accessory loop on the handle of the lead – perfect for storing pickup bags or for clipping on small items you may take out with you on your daily jaunt.

The attachment clip is what’s known as a low-profile Crux Clip; this is not only strong and secure but its design allows one handed attachment with ease. As a keen climber, I thought the clip to be very aesthetically pleasing with its Karabiner style clipping which is easily clipped open with your thumb and once attached doesn’t feel loose nor does it feel as if the clip will open, regardless of the pressure or torsion applied to the lead.

My favourite feature is the gyro-like spinning device incorporated into the bottom of the lead just above the Crux clip. It stops the lead from getting caught up under your dog’s legs or within the bush alongside you! As a dog walker, it also feels like you’re more in control of your pet whilst at the same time giving them that extra bit of freedom to explore.

Size Information:

Length: 1.5m / 5ft

Width: 25mm / 1 inch.

Care Information:

To clean your lead, simply hand wash using a mild detergent and leave to air dry.

Price: £24.95

About Ruffwear: